Unity overcomes cold: Marchers celebrate King, call for change

Marchers celebrate King, call for change

A red car passes along Washington Avenue in Upper Alton Monday past the dozens of flags set out to honor the slain civil rights leader.

Some of the large crowd who braved the cold weather Monday for the Unity March in Alton make their way up 4th Street. The march, which began at the Deliverance Temple Church on E. 6th Street, was held in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Alton police provided an escort for the crowd who walked in the single-digit temperatures.

As many as 100 pastors, city officials, business owners and members of the community joined together for unity Monday afternoon to not only celebrate, but continue the legacy of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. The event started as a gathering at the Deliverance Temple on 6th Street and continued as a march to propagate unity in the community. The event was created by the Alton Ministerial Alliance.

“Today’s purpose is to bring Dr. King’s legacy into the present,” alliance president Peter Hough said. “We’re here to build unity, not just because of the past, or looking into the future, but now.”

It was the first March for the restored Alton Ministerial Alliance. Hough said the current incarnation was revived in May as a way for Alton’s pastors to convene and work toward a better future for the community. He said the group is working toward reconciliation between all faiths and races while converting enemies and strangers into friends and neighbors.

Hough believes that unity is currently missing in Alton.

“What’s lacking is a connection to one another,” he said before the march. “There is not a lot of hostility, but there are a lot of people not knowing one another. We’re figuring out on a basic level who people are.”

Alton Police Chief Jake Simmons and Alton Mayor Brant Walker attended the event and marched in the cold as well. Mayor Walker hoped Monday’s event would help the community join together in healing after the killing of 11-year-old Romell Jones in a drive-by shooting last Monday.

“Hopefully this will be the start of bringing the community together since the death of Romell,” Walker said. “It is a great way to start the healing.”

The funeral for Jones will be held in that church Tuesday. Alton Police Department Chaplin Jason Harrison reminded those assembled of that fact after the march. He instructed them to leave behind a feeling of love and unity for those mourners to walk into.

“I’ve been reading a lot about love and unity, and that’s what I’m going to flow with,” Harrison said before the march.

The march began at the temple and continued around the block to the Elijah P. Lovejoy Monument. The plan was to hold a small prayer ceremony at the monument, but cold temperatures forced the marchers back to Deliverance Temple for the final prayer service. During the march, walkers broke out into song with “We Shall Overcome” in defiance of the bitter cold.

“It’s a blessing to be able to walk,” Pastor David Goins said as he trekked on the frozen ground of the Alton City Cemetery. “It’s a blessing to be able to remember Dr. King. Although he is dead, his words are very much alive.”

Once reassembled, Hough challenged those congregated to review their community. He invoked the spirit of slain abolitionist Elijah P. Lovejoy and reminded the crowd Alton is just as much responsible for the crowd who murdered him as the man himself. He reminded the crowd James Earl Ray, the man who killed Martin Luther King Jr., hailed from Alton as well. Hough called to work toward the community they wanted or they would get the community they have earned.

A red car passes along Washington Avenue in Upper Alton Monday past the dozens of flags set out to honor the slain civil rights leader.

http://thetelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_MLKDay2SECONDARY.jpgA red car passes along Washington Avenue in Upper Alton Monday past the dozens of flags set out to honor the slain civil rights leader.

Some of the large crowd who braved the cold weather Monday for the Unity March in Alton make their way up 4th Street. The march, which began at the Deliverance Temple Church on E. 6th Street, was held in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Alton police provided an escort for the crowd who walked in the single-digit temperatures.

http://thetelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_MLKDay1LEAD.jpgSome of the large crowd who braved the cold weather Monday for the Unity March in Alton make their way up 4th Street. The march, which began at the Deliverance Temple Church on E. 6th Street, was held in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Alton police provided an escort for the crowd who walked in the single-digit temperatures.